


Trust the Timing of Your Life

by RoyaiFan101



Series: Ethereal [2]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: But can be read alone, F/M, Royai - Freeform, my baby riza deserves happiness goddamnit, sequel to I won't die if you don't
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:48:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25473406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoyaiFan101/pseuds/RoyaiFan101
Summary: Roy should've known. They had been together long enough.
Relationships: Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell, Riza Hawkeye/Roy Mustang
Series: Ethereal [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1848931
Comments: 9
Kudos: 55





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNINGS: There are several mentions of multiple miscarriages through out this story. I should’ve put this TW in the tags when I first posted it, but my brain didn’t go “Hey! Warn people!” until after I completed it. For that, I am sorry.

Roy should’ve known what hearing about Winry Rockbell-Elric’s pregnancy would’ve done to Riza.

They had been together long enough, after all.

He’d give her credit though, she hid her emotions well though during their trip to Resembol. She didn’t even flinch when Winry told her unofficial big sister that she was _four months pregnant_ despite only having been married for _six_ , the biggest smile on the younger blonde’s face that Roy had ever seen. Riza smiled, gave her a hug, and told the new expectant parents a happy congratulations, Roy nodding in agreement.

But as soon as they got back to their room at the Inn later that night, she sat on the bed and burst into tears. And all he could do was hug her tightly while she sobbed into the front of his shirt. He knew she hated being jealous of Winry and Edward. But she couldn’t help it. She’d got to experience what Winry was going through twice, even if both times were only for a short period of time.

The first time? Well... the _Promised Day_ had taken a little bit of _something_ from _everyone_. He himself had only known about the pregnancy for about half a day, but considering the fact that she had been body slammed into the ground _and_ had had her throat slit during those twelve hours, he wasn’t surprised when her body had decided to the little life inside her womb wasn’t worth carrying anymore.

Despite the two of them having decided that they both wanted the baby, they both agreed that the timing hadn’t been good.

The second time has been the opposite reaction. It was six months after their release from the hospital due to their injuries sustained on the Promised Day, they were in the middle of Ishval- _again_ , this time _rebuilding_ instead of _destroying_ \- and neither of them had been exactly thrilled about it. So after hours of discussing, they agreed that this pregnancy couldn’t be carried to term. Roy sent Madam Christmas a letter, explaining the situation and asking for a solution. She replied with a short letter stating that while it would take two weeks to reach them, she would send him a batch of _black cohosh tea_ and instructions for Riza to use to the letter.

Not that it mattered anyway, Riza woke up to excruciating cramps and blood soaked sheets three days before the tea even arrived.

And the only thing Roy could do for her was burn the sheets.

Like before, he doesn’t know what to do for her. He doesn’t know what to say to make her feel any sort of better. He doesn’t want to give her any words of encouragement, God forbid they end up becoming false. All Roy can do is stroke her hair in hopes that that alone will get her to calm herself down.

“I know me being upset is stupid and selfish.” Riza finally speaks up, her face still pressed into the tear soaked stomach of his shirt.

“I don’t think it’s stupid _or_ selfish.” He mumbled softly, moving their bodies around so that they’re both laying side by side as he pulls the quilt over their bodies, instead of him standing and her sitting down at the edge like they had been.

“It’s not fair, Roy. None of it is.” She scoffs against his chest.

_It’s not fair that we lost the baby that we wanted. It’s not fair that we couldn’t keep the last one we made even if we had wanted it. It’s not fair that my body failed twice at what it’s supposed to be able to do properly. It’s not fair that Winry got pregnant within two months of her and Edward saying I do despite them both admitting that it’s earlier then they originally planned to start their, hopefully huge, family._

_It’s not fair that I have no right to be jealous. God won’t give an innocent baby to people with blood soaked hands._

“I know.” He cooed, kissing her forehead, wrapping his arms around her back. Perhaps it was the hormones, or the two glasses of wine she had downed in under five minutes when Winry and Ed weren’t looking her way, and Roy suddenly hears her mutter into his shirt _“I want a baby.”_

_Wait_

_What?_

Roy pulls back away from her slightly, eyes wide. Did she... Did she just say what he thought she said?

“What?” He gaped.

“I know, I know. It’s stupid. And it’ll ruin absolutely everything we’ve worked so hard for. But I just- want to be _selfish_.” She mumbles, waiting for him to tell her that it’s a bad idea.

But he doesn’t. Instead he asks her “Are you sure?”

Her response? “More then anything in the world.”

That’s all Roy needs to hear before he’s rolling her over on to her back, hovering over her as he kisses her. No words are spoken from either of them as they quickly remove clothing, soft gasps and moans filling the air as they work to get the other ready. Riza groans loudly as he sinks into her, his hips bucking against hers harshly while her hands claw at his back.

It feels so surreal when he finally finishes deep inside of her. It’s never been intentional, filling her up with his seed in hopes of creating life. The first time had been because he hadn’t pulled out of her in time, the second because the condom had torn.

Part of Roy hopes that they aren’t successful early on, so he can experience this blissful feeling again and again.

* * *

Ten days later she comes to work obviously looking... let down. She tells Fuery, Breda, and Havic that she’s fine and not to worry. It’s just a headache she tells them. But Roy knows the truth.

_She isn’t pregnant._

Worst part is? He can’t ask anyone for any tips on how to conceive. Anyone he _could_ ask would ask him too many questions. And this has to be their little secret. No one can know that they're trying to have a baby.

When the men leave for lunch, he gets up from his desk and walks over to her, and leans down to kiss the side of her head.

“Don’t get too upset about it, my love. We’ll keep trying until it happens.” Roy whispers in her ear, and Riza nods in understanding.

* * *

They try... and they try... and they try again...

And every time she goes to the bathroom with underwear freshly stained red or she gets a negative pregnancy test, Riza wonders if it will ever happen.

And yet, three days after Edward and Winry welcome their baby- a boy whom they give the name _Elijah_ too- into the world, Riza gets her wish.

The rest reads _positive_.

She’s an utter mess of joyful tears as she sits on her bathroom floor. Despite this being her third pregnancy- that she knows of at least, who knows if the handful of late periods she had had back when King Bradley was still alive were actually early miscarriages?- this was actually her first positive pregnancy test. And Riza is so goddamn happy. So happy, in fact, that she can’t even remember the last time she was this happy.

Because this time will be different. She doesn’t have to worry about a homonculous attacking her or needing to terminate the pregnancy.

She’s going to get to be a Mother.

Even if Roy won’t get to publically be a Father...

* * *

The Monday after she learns she’s expecting, she comes into work in a great mood.

“Someone had a good weekend.” Havoc smirked, obviously implying that Riza had gotten some ass during the last two days.

“ _Life changing_.” Riza teases, drinking her coffee.

It’s all Roy needs to hear to know why she’s so happy. Riza got her wish; she’s carrying _his_ child.

* * *

On Friday she doesn’t come into work, and Roy assumes that either her morning sickness is so bad that she can’t get up, or that she has a doctors appointment. He doesn’t even worry when she doesn’t call in. She’s allowed to have the occasional no call-no show, pregnant or not she has long since earned the right.

But on Monday, when she shows up looking as broken as she had been during Ishval, he knows why she really missed work on Friday.

She has suffered yet another miscarriage.

The look he gives to Fuery, Breda, and Havoc when she isn’t looking in his direction screams _Let her be, give her some space_ and thank Christ they all listen to him, no questions asked.

After work, Roy drives her home, walks her up to her apartment, steps inside and holds her while she cries. Just like he had done nearly six months ago.

“Please don’t blame yourself, love. Please.” He begs her, holding her tightly, silently telling himself that he’ll give her another baby if and only if he wants her to.

“I wish I knew what I was doing wrong.” She groans, clutching his uniform jacket between her fists.

“It’ll happen. I don’t know when, but it _will_. And everything we’ve been through to make it happen will be so goddamn worth it when it does.” He cooed, tilting her face up by chin to kiss her on the nose.

“ _I love you_. Please don’t _ever_ think that any of this will make me stop.” He begs.

“I love you, too.”

* * *

Riza goes through three more miscarriages by the time Elijah Elric turns a year and a half old, and by that time it has already been announced that he’s going to be a _big brother_ before he’s even two.

The _second_ Rockbell-Elric baby is what causes Riza to _break_.

“I can’t! I c-can’t do this anym-more, Roy!” She yells into his chest, the words catching in her throat as she hyperventilates. He can’t say anything. He doesn’t have the words to make her feel even the smallest bit better. All he can do is hold her in his arms while she breaks down. _Again_.

“This was so _stupid_. Me thinking this could ever happen. But I can’t... I can’t do this anymore, Roy.” She sobbed.

And the part that breaks Roy’s heart? He doesn’t know if she means trying to make a baby, or being with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone... not entirely happy with how I portrayed Riza in this, please note that I based her off of my older sister, who went through ten miscarriages in the course of four years, before finally succeeding in becoming a mother with her son, my nephew/godson, through IVF.  
> I’m so glad that he’s happy, healthy, and thriving.  
> Aunt Ruby loves you so much Isaac Anthony! <3


	2. Chapter 2

The next four months make Roy want to crawl into a deep dark hole in the middle of the desert between Amestris and Xing and die.

He and Riza fall into a routine. They arrive at work, they do their job, they go home. Every day, Monday through Friday. On Saturday when he wants to drink to forget the pain of losing her and so many potential children- _Six! They were successful in creating six little innocent lives together and they lost all six!_ \- he stays home at his apartment so she won’t have to get up in the middle of the night to pick his worthless drunk ass up from whatever bar he’s inhabited at the time to take him back home.

He’s lost her again. The first time being because of Ishval. The second due to Bradley separating her from him. This time because she can’t bear the thought of creating another one of their babies, just to lose it in the end.

Maybe Riza was right? Maybe the whole idea _was_ a mistake.

Honestly, how would it even work anyhow? He wouldn’t be able to announce to the world that he was the Father. It would ruin everything that they’ve worked for over the last decade since the _Ishvallan War of Extermination_ had ended. They would either both be fired or one of them would be transferred away, tearing apart their already partially broken family.

And even if the frat rules were abolished, he wouldn’t be able to claim paternity then either. Sure, he would _finally_ be able to kiss Riza out in public without fear of the wrong person seeing them, and if anyone heard their child call him _daddy_ they would simply think it was sweet of him to take the role originally belonging to “ _another man_ ” but that’s the most he would ever be able to be.

Step or adoptive Father if he and Riza were able to be together; _Uncle Roy_ if they’re were not.

It was moments like this where he wished Riza _had_ quit after returning home from Ishval after the war- or better yet, her never enlisting at all. At least then they could have some semblance of happiness.

* * *

The second Rockbell-Elric baby is a girl. They name her Whitley.

Riza is too mentally and emotionally broken to even fake happiness for the second time parents.

If anyone celebrating the new arrival does notice her solem posture and blank stare, they don’t comment about it. They also don’t comment on the several glasses of wine she spends the afternoon gulping down.

Nor do they mention the fact that Roy himself has half a bottle of whiskey sloshing around in his stomach, either.

The two broken lovers are too heartbroken to care what anyone else is thinking of about them. The only positive is that neither of their borderline blackout drunk asses make it known that they had hoped that the next baby born into their circle of friends would be _theirs_.

The way things are going, Izumi Curtis will probably welcome a child into the world before Riza Hawkeye does- and the slightly older woman doesn’t even have the organs to carry a baby anymore!

* * *

They drunkenly stumble back to their Inn three miles down the road.

Winry had offered to let them stay in a spare room, but both drunks immediately said _no_. She frowns as she watches them walk away, a tiny Whitley nursing at her breast. It’s only when Ed whispers in her ear: “ _Military laws says they can’t be anything more then superior and subordinate if they still want to work in the same chain of command. One of them will have to transfer or quit in order for them to be together._ ” that she has any sort of understanding over why they’ve been acting the way that they have today.

They’re _jealous_ , even if they won’t admit it.

The inn keeper doesn’t so much as raise an eyebrow at them as they stumble through the door and up the stairs.

Roy is barely into the room before she’s pushing him on to the bed, kicking the door shut. Her eyes are locked on to his while she removed her turtle neck, tossing it on to the floor.

“I’ve missed you.” She says softly.

“I’ve missed you, too. Come here.” He mumbles, leaning forward to grab her by her arms, pulling her towards him.

Riza kisses him as he pushes her skirt down to the floor, before pulling her on to his lap. His tongue enters her mouth while she works the buttons of his shirt while his hands move the buttons of his trousers.

It doesn’t take long for them both to be naked as she sinks down on to him, throwing her head back with a wanton moan as she rode him.

She looks so _adorable_ , riding his cock for the first time in months. He smirks up at her, grasping her by her hips as he rolls her over on to her back, slamming into her. He’s glad when she wraps her legs around his hips, because his drunk ass has absolutely no intentions of pulling out.

When she spasms around him, he lets out a groan against the side of her neck as he finishes inside of her. A year ago, they both would’ve hoped that this would be the time when they were finally successful in starting their secret family. But now? Drunk Roy doesn’t care what happens. Drunk Roy doesn’t give a damn if this batch of his seed results in _nothing_ or turns into _something_.

He’s just glad he got to have another night with Riza. Even if she’ll regret it in the morning.

* * *

The first thing Riza notices when she wakes up in the morning is that her head is _pounding_.

The second thing is that she’s _naked_.

The third is that there is an equally as naked _man_ laying behind her, his arm sling over her waist.

 _Oh shit_. Her mind squeaks, and before she can go into a full blown panic attack, she glances down at the hand resting against her rib cage, and sees the vertical scar in the center. The same scar caused by the late Führer King Bradley, also known as _Wrath_ , pinning him down with his swords five years ago.

 _Roy_.

She would be lying if she said she hadn’t missed waking up in his arms. She had been an utter wreck over the last two and a half years, and yet he had been so patient with her. He didn’t blame her when she lost any of their unborn children, didn’t tell her no whenever she told him that she wanted to try again.

And he let her go when she said she couldn’t do... any of it anymore.

That last part had been, without a doubt, the worst mistake of her life. Roy didn’t even call her when he was drunk anymore.

“How bad does your head hurt?” He groaned into her ear, giving her the first sign that he was awake. Riza fights back a moan, feeling his morning wood pressed up against her ass.

“Last time I felt _this_ woozy, my throat had been cut.” She pouted, frowning when she felt him tense up behind her. She rolls over on to her back, staring at him.

“How do _you_ feel?” She asked him.

“Like I was forced to commit human transmutation. _Again_.” Roy pouts, his forehead scrunching up. She frowns, before kissing him on the lips, and he gladly kisses her back.

The kisses soon turn into him moving to hover above her and sinking deep inside of her, leaving a trail of kisses along her neck as he moves in and out of her. Riza is moaning beneath him, her fingers clutching his hair, as she breathlessly whispers “ _Not inside, p-please_.” into his ear.

Roy doesn’t want to listen to her. She feels too damn good to pull out. But because he loves her and does not want to upset her, he does as she asks, pulling out to spill against her inner thigh.

* * *

Riza’s next period never shows.

Instead, a month after going to Resembol to meet little miss Whitley Elric, she finds herself in her bathroom, staring down at yet another positive pregnancy test on the counter.

Six months ago, she’d been sobbing and praying that _this_ would be the one, that this would be the pregnancy that would finally turn her into a Mother of a living and breathing baby, instead being the Mom to half a dozen dead fetuses barely the size of a grain of rice.

But now? Now she’s just... _numb_.

Riza doesn’t react. She isn’t happy, nor is she panicking. Instead, she shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly, tossing the test in the rubbish bin, as she waits for the agonizing cramps and bloody clots that will never come.


	3. Chapter 3

The next thing Riza knows, she’s waking up to morning sickness. Which surprises her, she hasn’t dealt with it since her second pregnancy.

She has forgotten how utterly awful it is. Throwing up every morning, the inability to keep anything down. It’s only a miracle she’s able to calmly get to the bathroom at work before barfing in front of anyone else.

And Roy...?

He doesn’t know. She can’t tell him. Not because the baby isn’t his- because it is. She hasn’t been with a man other then him since her days at the Academy. But telling him would mean she would have to _acknowledge_ the pregnancy. Acknowledging it would make it _real_. Making it real would mean she would _lose_ it.

This is her seventh pregnancy. She knows that eventually it will be her seventh miscarriage.

* * *

She’s in the middle of a shower when she glances down and her eyes widen in shock.

She has a _bump_!

Holy...

She can’t help but gingerly touch the slightly swollen skin of her abdomen. It isn’t a big bump by any means. She doesn’t even look... pregnant. If anything, people will simply think she needs to lay off the chocolate bars and go to the gym more often.

But she’s never gotten this before. Seven pregnancies; four gone before she could even get sick, six gone before she even got a chance to hear a _heartbeat_.

And _only_ one tiny bump.

With the water still running and shampoo still in her hair, Riza sits down on the floor, wraps her arms around her torso, and cries.

She knows if she loses _this_ baby, it _will_ kill her.

* * *

“Is _anyone_ gonna say _anything_ to her?” Kain asked, eyes on Riza.

He, Heymans, Jean, and Roy were all spying on Riza from the doorway to the office, eyes locked on to her swollen belly.

Roy couldn’t believe it. She was pregnant. She finally got her wish- _their_ wish. They had made the one thing Alchemy could never create; _life_.

But... why hadn’t she told him? Was... was the baby not his?

No. That was _his_ son or daughter growing in her womb. That was _his_ baby he had put inside of her when they went to Resembol seven months ago to meet Whitley Elric.

She would never willingly carry another man’s child, not when they loved each other, and he was so willing to try and give her a child himself, consequences be damned.

“Dude! You never ask a woman if she’s pregnant! That’s like asking her if she’s on her period because she’s in a bad mood.” Jean snarled in his ear.

“But... it’s obvious.” Kain added.

“It was obvious for my cousin too. Thirteen years later, she’s still giving me _dog toys_ for my birthday.” Heymans scoffed.

“Then why else hasn’t she said anything?” Kain whispered. “Based on long her stomachs been getting... bigger, she has to be at least seven or eight months by now.” He added.

“Maybe she’s doing what my neighbor did a few years ago. She acted the same way. Didn’t acknowledge the pregnancy, didn’t talk about it or anything.” Jean shrugged.

“What did she end up doing?” Kain asked.

“Gave the baby up for _adoption_.”

 _Adoption. Yeah right._ Roy internally scoffed. _She wouldn’t have had half a dozen mental break downs over her miscarriages if she was just going to give the baby away._

“Maybe that’s it? I mean, she’s never really seemed... _maternal_. Least not to anything other than Hayate, at least. Assuming she is, you know...” Heymans concluded.

 _I wonder if they know that I can hear them?_ Riza thought, tensing up slightly when she felt a foot, or maybe even a fist, push against her ribs. Based on how long it had been since their last night in Resembol together, she was due in roughly eight weeks.

And she had _nothing_ for her baby.

No cradle, blankets, diapers, clothes, toys, or pram. She was so unprepared for this tiny little life it was ridiculous. Riza was still mentally and emotionally disconnected to the entire ordeal. Still waiting for the day that she woke up in a puddle of _blood_.

Every little kick and tiny flutter told her _Don’t get too attached to me Mama; you’ll just lose me too. Except this time, you’ll be able to tell if I was a little girl or a baby boy_.

She supposed that was the _only_ positive thing to her other pregnancy loses: she had no way of knowing their genders.

“How you feeling, Captain?” She looked up from her paperwork and saw Roy standing beside her.

Oh yeah, _Captain_. That was another change for her over the last six months.

“Fine, Sir.” She told him.

“You sure?” He asked, the awkwardness growing between them.

 _Why haven’t you told me anything about our baby?_ His face screamed, and he was glad his back was to the rest of his subordinates.

“Of course, Sir. I’ll let you know if anything changes.” Riza said, going back to her paperwork.

* * *

It became obvious that Riza hadn’t told _anyone_ she was pregnant when Führer Grumman came to visit, his jaw dropping in surprise when he saw his granddaughter’s swollen belly.

“Brigidiar General Mustang. Is there any particular reason why you failed to mention to me that your Captain- whom, may I remind you, is also my _only grandchild_ \- is in the final stages of pregnancy?” Grumman hissed, crossing his arms in front of him.

Roy gulped, unsure of how to reply.

“Honestly, Sir. I’m still waiting for her to say something about it to me. She... doesn’t talk about it.” He admitted.

“What? Why?” Grumman asked.

“I have no idea. You’ll have to ask her.”

“I see... any idea who the Father may or may not be?”

Roy knew, he knew the old man was asking him if there was any possibility that that was _his_ baby inside of his granddaughter.

“No, Sir. Don’t have a clue.” Roy lied out of his ass.

* * *

When Riza gets home from work, she finds a decent pile of baby things in the middle of her living room.

A nicely made white cradle, four gender neutral colored blankets, two dozen cloth diapers, several sleepers in various sizes, a pacifier, the nicest pram she has ever seen, and a tiny stuffed dog that looks just like Black Hayate.

That last item makes her smile.

* * *

“Geez, Riza. You’ve really let yourself go.” Rebecca winced, her eyes on Riza’s belly when she entered Roy’s office two days after Führer Grumman left.

Riza snarled at her best friend, daggers in her eyes.

“I’m _pregnant_ , you _cunt_.” She snapped, both of her hands clutching her stomach.

The men all tense up at her words. Not because of the slur that she had just called Rebecca, but because she _finally_ confirmed that she was pregnant, even though they had all known for weeks now.

Rebecca stared at her in shock, before her lip curled up in a smirk.

“I know. It’s kinda _obvious_ , Ri. Just wanted to hear your reaction to being called fat.” She teased, walking over to her best friend to hug her tightly.

“Truth be told, I’m surprised you guys haven’t asked her about it before now.” Rebecca says, standing up to look at the men in the room.

“ _Never ask a woman if she’s pregnant_.” They all chorus at once.

* * *

The cramps started in the middle of dinner, during the worst thunderstorm East City had seen since 1874.

“Ow. Ow. Ow.” She whimpered, leaning over the kitchen table, resting her forehead against the wood. When the pain subsided, she glanced out the window.

There was no way in hell she felt safe enough to go to the hospital in this storm, whether she was driving or not. And she didn’t want anyone to risk their own safety to come to her.

Which meant that Riza was on her own.

“It’ll be fine. If I can pop my dislocated shoulder back into place by myself at the age of eight, I can give birth to a baby by myself at thirty-two.” She told herself, moving to sit on her couch.

Hayate is laying at her feet, whining. He knows something is up. He’s getting older, but he isn’t stupid. His mistress is in pain.  
“Don’t worry about me, boy. I’ll be f-fine.” She whimpers, letting out a cry of pain at another contraction.

* * *

She soon finds that walking around makes her experience the least amount of pain during contractions. However, that changes when her water breaks in the hallway.

“Was wondering when that was going to happen.” She huffs, walking towards her bedroom. Delivering in her bed seems like a better idea then giving birth in the middle of the hallway.

_I am so getting a new mattress after this._

* * *

Her contractions are closer together, and Riza remembers enough about when Gracia gave birth to know that that means it’s almost time. The pressure between her legs is also another sign.

Removing her pajama pants and underwear, leaving herself in only one of Roy’s old shirts, clutching her belly in pain as she begins to push.

She pushes... and pushes... and pushes, until finally a sharp cry that is not her own fills the air. Riza collapses on to the bed in relief, glad to feel no more pain. Then she remembers the squirming and wailing infant between her legs, and she quickly sits up to grab them and rest them against her chest.

She’s in awe at the tiny blonde and pink baby in her arms. Part of her is glad that at first glance the baby looks like her, but the rest of her doesn’t care. A flashing neon sign could come out of her saying **Roy Mustang is the Father!** and she wouldn’t give a damn. This tiny blonde baby is hers. She’s _finally_ a Mom.

“It’s about time you decided to show up, little one. You were supposed to be here _last week_.” Riza cooed, stroking her baby’s soft golden hair. With one hand clutching her baby, she uses the other to unbutton the first few buttons of her shirt, repositioning her baby so they can nurse.

The feeling is weird and uncomfortable at first, and not at all pleasurable like it is when Roy’s done it. But soon she grows used to it, taking a tiny fist in her hand while her and Roy’s baby feeds.

The phone rings from the living room, and she scoffs, dismissing it with a wave of her hand.

“Kinda _busy_ here at the moment. If it’s really important, then whoever is calling can come here.” She tells her nursing baby.

It’s then she realizes that she doesn’t even know what they are. So she moves her hand from her baby’s fist, and moves their legs apart to see their gender. Her eyes widen in surprise at what she’s sees.

“I thought you were going to be a boy!”

* * *

Two hours after she’s given birth, and she hears Roy practically break down her door to get inside.

“Riza!?” He yells from the living room.

“Bedroom.” She yells back.

She hears him running down the hallway to get to her, then she hears him slip and crash to the floor in the hallway.

“Ow...”

 _Oops... forgot to clean that up_. She winces. He finally limps to her room, and before he can even open his mouth, he gasps in shock at the tiny blonde baby sleeping on her chest.

“Riza?”

“I’m so sorry for not saying anything these past few months.” She says, trying not to cry. He must be so angry at her, she knows she would be if the roles were switched. Roy just shakes his head, rushing over to her to drop to his knees next to the bed, kissing her on the forehead.

“It’s okay. It’s okay. I’m not mad. Not even a little.” He cooes, taking one of her hands into his own and kissing her palm.

He can’t help but stare at the tiny baby against her chest. He saw so much of Riza in the child. Blonde hair, cute little nose, slightly pointed chin. They have his cheeks, and he wonders if they have his eyes and worries if their hair will ever darken to black.

“Would you like to hold her?” Riza asks softly, referring to the baby swaddled in a pillow case in her arms, the naked pillow tossed on to the floor on the other side of the bed.

“Her?” He gasps in shock.

“Mhm.” She nods. “It’s a _girl_.” She cooes. He carefully takes their daughter off of her chest, holding her in his arms. He stares down in disbelief. Now he understands why Hughes raved about Elicia for three years.

This is the greatest feeling in the entire world.

It’s then that they realize that their baby doesn’t have a name. It’s the one thing that they never discussed, back when they were purposefully trying to make a baby. They talked about everything else. How they wanted their child to be personality wise ( _kind, compassionate, and non judgmental over those that are different from them_ ) what they wanted their child to be career wise ( _anything but the military_ ) would they be informed of the miscarriages their Mother had gone through before having them ( _only if they go through similar experiences_ ) would they be taught Alchemy ( _not Flame Alchemy and only if they want to learn_ )

But they _never_ chose a name.

It takes several hours and another feeding to chose her name, with many name suggestions shot down. ( _“How about Elizabeth?” Roy had suggested. “No. There are too many Elizabeth’s in my family. Anything but Elizabeth.” Riza scoffed._ ) Miraculously, they come up with a name for her.

_Averie Christine Hawkeye._

_Averie_ was after a fellow cadet and friend from Riza and Becca’s academy days.

 _Avery Xander_ , who within a week of being shipped off to fight in Ishval, had been discovered _assaulted_ and _slaughtered_ , not far into enemy territory. What happened surprised everyone that knew her. Avery had been one of the best cadets at the academy, regardless of her gender.

She had been better with a sniper rifle then Riza was!

Over twelve years later, Riza still wasn’t entirely convinced that it had been the _Ishvallans_ who had raped and killed her, but she always kept her mouth shut due to lack of evidence.

 _Christine_ was after Roy’s paternal aunt and foster mother, and the closest thing the newborn baby girl would ever get to a living grandmother. Even if she couldn’t know that she was, in fact, now a Grandma. She could suspect it every day for the rest of her life, but Roy and Riza could never confirm the information.

Of course Averie had to have the surname _Hawkeye_ instead of _Mustang_ , a fact that Riza knew broke Roy’s heart. But he also knew that that would have to happen, one of the many negatives to having a secret love child with your adjacent.

“I love you both so much.” He cooed, kissing Riza on the lips and Averie on the forehead.

“We love you too.” Riza smiles at him.

“Now I’m going to call an ambulance. It’s stopped raining, and you guys need to be checked out. Not even gonna bring up the fact that you gave birth _by yourself_.” He scoffed.

“What made you even come over here, anyway?” She asks in confusion.

“You need to fill out your maternity leave paperwork.” He shrugs. “Technically, it’s supposed to be filled out and filed _before_ you gave birth. But the _Queen of Paperwork Due Dates_ decided to push it off.” Roy added in a teasing tone.

Riza responded by flipping him off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I happy with the ending? No.  
> Am I gonna change it? Again, no.


End file.
